Retna Esta Bien Chiflado Ese Guey For Sale

About this work

RETNA Esta Bien Chiflado Ese Guey, 2013 Retna, born Marquis Lewis in Los Angeles in 1979, has established himself as one of the most distinctive and commercially successful artists to emerge from the contemporary street art movement. His work commands significant attention in both primary and secondary markets, with collectors drawn to his singular visual language that bridges ancient calligraphic traditions with urban contemporary practice. Museum acquisitions and high-profile collaborations with luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Chanel have cemented his position within the upper echelons of the contemporary art market. Esta Bien Chiflado Ese Guey exemplifies Retna's mature practice, presenting his invented script system across a substantial forty-eight inch square canvas. The work demonstrates his characteristic approach wherein letterforms derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics, Hebrew script, Arabic calligraphy, and Native American patterns converge into a proprietary alphabet. Executed in acrylic, the composition reveals the artist's disciplined hand, each glyph rendered with deliberate precision while maintaining the gestural energy associated with his graffiti origins. The title, translating loosely from Mexican Spanish as a colloquial observation about someone being crazy or wild, reflects the artist's Los Angeles upbringing and Latino heritage, grounding the otherwise universal visual language in specific cultural experience. The scale of this work allows for intimate engagement while retaining the commanding presence characteristic of Retna's larger architectural commissions. The layered text creates visual depth, inviting prolonged contemplation as viewers attempt to decode meaning from form. Guy Hepner welcomes inquiries regarding acquisition of this significant example of Retna's celebrated practice.